Portable receptacle



Nov. 5, 1935. R. LOBEL PORTABLE RECEPTACLE Filed June 5, 1955 NV NTOR. R

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 5, 1935 U l'lE STATES PATENT OFFIE PORTABLE RECEPTACLEporation of New York Application June .5, 1935, Serial No. 25,044

9 Claims.

This invention relates to portable receptacles, and has particularreference to devices such as handbags and toilet kits.

One object of this invention is the provision of Y a device of thecharacter described having a wall structure, parts of which are movablein opening and closing the receptacle, and a frame in improvedcoordination therewith and servin to stretch the wall structure aboutthe frame in 10. a body shaping and forming cooperation when thereceptacle is closed and to release the body structure, in part, whenthe receptacle is open, whereby a neat, inexpensive structure isproduced with a minimum of fabrication.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a device of the typementioned having a framed receptacle which permits of the maximum degreeof opening, substantially greater than that heretofore obtained, and yetin a simple, and reliable manner and with a minimum number ofconnections of the frame and receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device, of the classalluded to having a receptacle of improved arrangement and design,permitting all parts thereof to be readily accessible, and permittingthe opening of only one part of a single main compartment thereof, ifdesired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device having a framedreceptacle, the frame whereof has improved expanded closure walls forthe receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to construct a device of thecharacter mentioned whereby a frame co-operates to produce a tight lockjoint at an end of a receptacle, preferably in cooperation with a gussetsupported thereby, and which may therefore be of different sizes, anddesigns, and need not be inherently tight.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novelcombinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in theirpreferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, andillustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated bythe same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a view in front elevation showing in closed position adevice embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation thereof, with a 56 part removed.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the same in full open position.

Fig. 4 is an end view thereof. Fig 5 is a top plan view of the device inpartly open position. 5 Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on the verticalline of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the vertical line 7-1 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective isometric 10 view of the frame.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective isometric view showing details of agusset connection.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective isometric View .of a modificationof the invention. 5

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized whenall of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and thesame structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less thanthe whole. 20

In will be obvious to .those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains, that the same may be incorporated in several differentconstructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted. merelyas showing the pre- 5 ferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, ll denotes a device embodying theinvention. The same may include a receptacle, bag, or container made ofany suitable material and preferably compris 30 ing a plurality ofwalls, such as opposite side walls I2, H3. The wall l2 may include aplurality of wall portions i l, l5 which are connected individually tothe side wall I3 as by means of top and bottom wall portions l6, H. Theside wall 35 portions Hi, are movable toward and away from each other,as by reason .of the flexibility of the walls l3, I6 and I'd, forclosing and opening the receptacle. Gussets 8.8 may be connected to thewalls [.3 to ll at each .end of the receptacle, 40 these gussets beinginfoldable and being desirably of less height than the side wallportions Id and 15. Preferably, the wall portion it may be of greaterheight than the companion portion M, and the gussets may taper tocorrespond. 45

In the .closed position of the receptacle, the wall portions M, l5 maylie in the same plane and with their free or leading edges in abutmentwith each other as shown at 19. In that position, the gussets l8 areinfolded substantially as 5 shown in Fig. 5, and obviously the ends ofthe receptacle would be. substantially open since the gussets would liesubstantially parallel to the side walls I2, 13, and unless articleswere secured .under the gussets, such articles might drop out 5 and belost. However, small articles could readily slip from under the gussetsand fall out at the ends of the receptacle. Furthermore, the pliablewall structure and gussets would have no definite form or body, and tobuild the receptacle into such definite body and shape would materiallyincrease the cost of manufacture and require special, complicated gussetfastenings.

By my invention, I overcome these difiiculties by providing a framestructure having a minimum of connection with the receptacle walls, soas to require little mechanical fabrication, and nevertheless acting asa body forming means for the receptacle, as a support for the gussetsespecially when the receptacle is open, and as a reliable joint lockingmeans for the ends of the receptacle.

Thus I employ at each end of the receptacle a plurality of frame memberssuch as 2!], 2 connected to the side wall portions l4, l5 as at the freeor leading edges thereof, for instance, to the channels 22, 23 clampedon the edges of the respective wall portions I4, l5. Cooperating withthe frame members 20, 2| is a body forming portion or frame member 24 towhich the members 20, 2| may be pivotally connected as at 25, 26 at theends of the member 24. The latter may be relatively wider than themembers 20, 2| and may extend substantially the full length of thereceptacle with the ends rounded as at 21 to conform to the receptacle.In the closed posi tion of the device II, the frame members 20, 2| maylie in alinement with each other and in the same plane with the member24, along which they extend from end to end of the receptacle. Thus thefree ends of the frame members 20, 2| may abut each other along theplane of the line l9.

To provide a reliable joining or closure interengagement, and for mutualreenforcement between the members, the frame members 20, 2| mayconstitute channels, and the member 24 may constitute a plane strip orblade element receivable in part in the. channels of the members 20, 2|.The members 20, 2| and 24 constitute an expansible end wall allowing fora degree of expansion of the receptacle, as by the yielding of a lockingdevice hereinafter described, or by the bulging action of the receptacledue to its contents, and nevertheless maintaining an end closure whenthe receptacle is closed. The channel interengagement serves toreenforce the frame especially at the leading edges, in closed position.

When the receptacle is in open position, as shown in Fig. 4, the frameparts 20, 2| and 24 maintain the frame members 22, 23 in parallelism ina fairly rigid relationship to each other. Since the frame members 20,2| and 24 lie outside of the gussets l8, the same are affordedat leastpartial support. Due to friction at the joints 25, 2B, the receptacle isheld open.

Upon closing the receptacle, the side walls I3, l4, l5 are drawn aroundthe frame parts 20, 2| and 24, which they overlie, as particularly shownin Fig. 3, so that the receptacle is stretched about the frame with thepull being communicated thereto at the channels 22, 23. Hence thereceptacle walls snugly fit around the frame structure as shown in Fig.2, assuming a definite shape and body.

The receptacle may be opened only in part as indicated in Fig. 5, and ifdesired, the wall |5 may be little used or may be relatively permanentlyclosed. In any case, the gussets are directed inwardly and are shaped inthat manner by the elements 20, 2| as shown in Fig. 7 at 29.

It is seen from Fig. 9, that the securement of the gussets to the sidewalls begins at a point 30 below the connection of the frame parts 22,23 with elements 20, 2|, as at 3| to facilitate the 5 infolding of thegussets.

Any one of the frame parts 28, 2| and 2 5 may be considered as the bodyforming portion as each part is necessary in drawing the receptacle wallstructure around the frame. 10

The frame members 23 may have stop elements 32 secured thereto tounderlie the member 22, and maintain the members in the same plane.

A resilient catch 33 may be connected to they member 22 and may have anundercut hook 34 to 15 engage and releasably snap under acorrespondingly hooked lug or pin 35 fixed to the element 23 and thus toprevent the wall l4 from being moved upward without first upwardlyspringing V the element 33.

In Fig. 10 is shown a modification of the invention embodying in ahandbag certain of the principles hereinbefore disclosed, and having thebody forming advantages, neatness, and permitting a wide opening of thebag receptacle with the use of shorter gussets if desired.

Thus the device 4|] may include a bag 4| having a conventional topclosure flap 42 for the opening 43 thereof, and having opposite endgussets 44. Frame channels 45, 46 are secured 30 to free edge portionsof the bag, and the channel 45 may connect the flap 42 to the bag, ifdesired. A relatively wide body forming frame member 41 which may be ofplane sheet metal may be cut out at 48a to fit member 45 and 85 to berigidly secured thereto. A channel member 48, or the like, may berigidly secured to member 46 at 49a, and may be pivoted to 41 as at 49.The member 41 may be undercut at 50 to provide a portion engageable inthe chan- 4 nel member 48, with the parts when engaged affording a tightclosure, permitting the use of a short gusset 44, and drawing the bagsnugly around the frame so that the bag snugly engages around themembers 41, 48. Thus the bag may 5 be opened more widely than heretoforepossible, and the end gussets are not alone relied upon for tightness ofthe bag. It will be understood that the same arrangement may be used atboth ends of the bag. 50

It will be noted that in both of the devices H and 40, the framestructure is separate of the bag except for its connection with the freeedges thereof.

The different frames may be variously shaped, 55 3 for example, somewhatconically as in the device II, and the joints 25, 26 may have suitableclearance for the. pivotal movement of the parts and interengagement ofthe frame members as required. 60

It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may bemade in the device as shown in the drawing, and that the same issubmitted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense, the scope ofthe invention being defined tion of the receptacle and one side wallportion having a greater average length than the other side wallportion, gussets at the ends of the receptacle interconnecting the saidside wall portions with the first side wall, the gussets foldinginwardly and the side wall portions folding downwardly upon the gussetsupon closing the receptacle, the receptacle having a generally box likeform when the receptacle is fully open with the side wall portions beingupright, frame elements connected to the side wall portions along theleading edges thereof, and frames at the ends of the receptacle externalof the gussets, each frame comprising channel frame members connected tothe frame elements and extending upright in the full open position ofthe receptacle, a blade loose- 1y pivotally connected at its ends to thechannel frame members and lying in relatively close proximity to thefirst side wall in the open position of the receptacle, the channelmembers conforming to the said tapered shape of the receptacle and theblade being guidingly engageable in the channel members about the saidloose pivotal connections when the receptacle is closed, the said framesbeing otherwise independent of the gussets and of the first and secondside walls, the said side walls being tensioned about the frames in theclosed position of the receptacle with the frames constituting endclosures therefor, and means for releasably maintaining the receptaclein closed position.

2. A portable receptacle including a foldable upwardly tapered bag whichin full open position is of generally box-like form and comprises abottom wall, upright side walls and gusseted end walls, with one sidewall being generally longer than the other and one side wall taperingupwardly, and frames for the ends of the bag in tapered relation to eachother to conform to the shape of the bag, each frame comprising aplurality of channel members and a blade member,

the channel members extending along the side walls and the blade memberalong the bottom wall, the ends of the channel members and of the blademember being loosely pivotally interconnected with the blade memberadapted to be guidingly engaged in the channel members when the bag isclosed, and the said side walls being tensioned about the frames in theclosed position of the receptacle with the frames constituting endclosures for the receptacle, and means for holding the receptacleclosed.

3. A portable receptacle including a bag having its ends taperedupwardly in closed position, said bag in full open position being ofgenerally box-like form and comprising a bottom wall, upright side wallsand gusseted end walls with one side wall having an average lengthgreater than that of the other side wall and one side wall having itsends tapering toward each other in a diiferent direction than the endsof the other side wall, channel frame elements in which the free edgesof the side walls are clamped, and frames for the ends of the bagtapering relative to each other to conform to the shape of the bag, eachframe having [a plurality of members including blade and channelmembers, a plurality of the members being rigidly connected to therespective frame elements in offset relation thereto and being uprightin said open position of the bag, another of said members being inrelative proximity to said bottom wall and being so loosely pivotallyconnected to the ends of the upright members as to be adapted to beguidingly engaged with the upright members on closing the bag, wherebycreasing of the side walls is avoided when the bag is open and the saidelements lie in edge to edge abutment when the bag is closed.

4. A portable receptacle including a bag which '5 in full open positionis of generally box-like form having a large bottom wall, upright sidewalls and gusseted end walls, frames for the ends of the bag connectedto the side walls at the leading edges thereof and being otherwise freeof the 1 5 bag, each of said frames having a plurality of channelmembers and a blade member pivotally interconnected so as to beengageable in the channel members upon closing the bag, said channelmembers extending upright along the 15.

side Walls in the said full open position of the receptacle and theblade member lying spaced above but in relative proximity to the bottomwall and affording lateral external support to the gusseted end walls,whereby the gusseted end walls are foldable away from the frames so asnot to catch therein immediately upon initiating a closing movement ofthe bag.

- 5. A portable receptacle including a bag which in full open positionis of generally box-like form with a large bottom wall, upright sidewalls and gusseted end walls, the side walls being fololable downwardlyand the gusseted walls being foldable inwardly, channel elements inwhich the leading edges of the side walls are secured, and 80 frames forthe ends of the bag, each frame comprising at least three members, twoof which are connected to the frame elements in inwardly offset relationthereto and extending upright in said full open position of the bag, andthe third member extending along the bottom wall and being pivotallyconnected at its ends to the lower ends of the first named members, sothat the latter are swingable downward upon closing the bag, saidmembers having interfitting blade and channel interengagement in theclosed position of the bag, and said members being otherwise free of thebag.

6. A portable receptacle including a bag which in full open position isof generally box-like form having a large bottom wall, upright sidewalls and gusseted end walls, frames for the ends of the bag connectedto the side walls at the leading edges thereof and being otherwise freeof the bag, each of said frames having a plurality of channel membersand a blade membercpivotally interconnected so as to be engageable inthe channel members upon closing the bag, said channel members extendingupright along the side walls in the said full open position of thereceptacle and the blade member lying spaced above but in relativeproximity to the bottom wall and affording lateral external support tothe gusseted end walls, said blade members being of substantiallygreater width than the channel members, and the points of said pivotalinterconnection between the members being remote from the lower edge ofthe blade members.

7. A portable receptacle including a bag which in full open position isof generally box-like form with a large bottom wall, upright side wallsand gusseted end walls, the side walls being foldable downwardly and thegusseted walls being foldable inwardly, channel elements in which theleading edges of the side walls are secured, and frames for the ends ofthe bag, each frame comprising at least three members, two of which areconnected to the frame elements and extending upright in said full openposition of the bag, and the third member extending along the bottomwall and being pivotally connected at its ends to the lower ends of thefirst named members so that the latter are swingable downward uponclosing the bag, said members having interfitting blade and channelinterengagement in the closed position of the bag, and said membersbeing otherwise free of the bag including the gusseted end wallsthereof, the bottom and side walls of the bag being tensioned around theframes with the members thereof in the said interfitting relationconstituting continuous end closures for the bag, and releasable lockingmeans for the bag. i

8. A portable receptacle including a bag having side walls movabletoward and away from each other, end gussets interconnecting the sidewalls, frame elements connected to the side walls along the leadingedges thereof, end frames each of which includes a relatively wide plateand a relatively narrow arm pivotally interconnected remotely from theframe elements and being connected at their upper ends to the frameelements for movement into and out of engagement With each other uponcorresponding movement of the side walls, said frames being otherwisefree of the gussets and the side ginal portions of the side walls, eachframe including a plate member extending from the top to the bottom ofthe receptacle and being rigidly connected at the top to a frameelement, and a frame arm for each end frame, said frame arm beingpivotally connected at its lower end to a plate member intermediate ofthe ends thereof for movement toward and away from the plate member, andsaid arm being rigidly connected at its upper end to the other frameelement for movement therewith, and the frames being otherwise separateof the receptacle, and constituting end closures for the receptacle uponmovement of the arms into engagement with the plate members.

RUDOLPH LOBEL.

